[A wonderful verse composed by Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj (28.04.1885-08.06.1986) in which he depicts beautifully his own experiences of spiritual meditation – the Yoga of Divine Light & Yoga of Divine Sound, taken from his wonderful book “Mehi Padavali” (Poems of Mehi).

To prevent the post from becoming lengthy, the original verse is not produced here.

Translation:

Aril

I (Maharshi Mehi Paramhans ji Maharaj) illustrate the precepts of Santmat for the beneficence of spiritual practitioners. I describe these principles in the form of aril verses (a type of literary style of poetry), knowing & practicing which correctly, the practitioners will become truly blessed. These precepts, each one of these, are invaluable or priceless. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj says, bowing my head in obeisance at the lotus feet of the sants I am going to describe whatever I desire to say. ||1||

Attend the noble company of sants & serve them daily. Listen attentively to their life-giving words and imbibe them whole heartedly. Reflect these discourses and if you are not able to understand these fully, go and learn again from them (sants). In line with the knowledge thus gained, Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj advises, mould your behaviour/conduct accordingly. ||2||

Having gathered knowledge (in Satsang) thus, search for a true teacher (Guru) and select the true preceptor. All the ways of, or efforts at, seeking Self-Realisation without (in absence of) the guidance of the True Guru are incomplete, are imperfect. Maharshi Mehi Paramnsji Maharaj says, I am going to narrate, in the form of kundaliyaa chhand (a literary style of poem composition), how to identify a true Guru. If you finally get one such Guru with the grace of God, serve him throwing away or sacrificing your own ego. ||3||

Kundaliya

He who knows the way to liberation, he who practices meditation everyday and while doing so lives in this world with a true & pure heart, whose detachment goes on increasing by the day, he who loves Satsang, he who destroys faulty thinking or evil thoughts (of his disciples) by imparting the right knowledge, he who firmly implants the precepts of Santmat in our minds clarifying all our doubts; he and he only (who is gifted with all the above virtues), says Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, can be a Guru with a true & pure heart.

Aril

Utter pleasant truth, and shun stealing, give up taking to or consuming intoxicating substances, renounce adultery and do not commit violence. Meditate with a pure mind as instructed by the Guru. I am going to tell about, says Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, how to practice meditation, so please listen with rapt attention ||4||

Sit on a pure ‘aasan’ (small square piece of mat, carpet, cloth sheet etc.) keeping your back, neck and head in a straight (vertical) line. Then keeping your mouth and eyes shut, internally chant the name of your desired deity or Guru and internally visualise the form of your Guru or desired deity.

Doing so regularly with loving devotion, with perseverance, the mind gets purified. I will now describe, Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj articulates, what is to be done next, so please listen attentively. ||5||

While trying to focus the mind on a target, it often strays to other thoughts. In all such cases when the mind wanders away from the target, the spiritual practitioner should bring it back again and again and focus on the target. Thus practising the ‘pratyaahaar’ (the process or practice of bringing the mind back to focus on its target every time it strays away), move up to or acquire the state of ‘dhaaranaa’ (the state of mind staying focussed on the target for a small length of time). Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj says, holding on to the current in the inner sky, move ahead, then move further ahead.||6||

Alertly grasp the current in the inner sky and consciously behold the resplendent wonders there. Still your gaze, your currents of seeing, at the bank or wharf of Sushumna or the Tenth Door and quickly ascend through this door, exhorts Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj||7||

Bravely practising thus, ascend into the ’Brahmaand’ (Cosmos or Macro Cosmos or the Universe) leaving the ‘pind’ (body or micro-cosmos) behind. For this, make your sight penetrate into the Sushumna, just as an arrow pierces its target. Getting there (that is, on entering into the Sushumna), explains Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, ‘vindu’ (refulgent point) and ‘naad’ (Divine Sound or Vibration) would escort you ahead (as guides) and take you on a trip to the realm of Divine light and the realm of Divine Sound ||8||

Tour through the sphere of light, and see the glittering light. In the proximity of the ‘vindu’ (brilliant point) is seen the light of ‘jugnoo’ (glow-worm), see it fixedly. Lightning is also seen there; it is very difficult to fix the gaze at this (lightning). How would the sight be able to fix or still itself at the glittering point, remarks Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj, at that brilliant light so long as the surat (attention, current of consciousness) keeps trembling?||9||

Through rigorous practice of ‘drishti yog’ (Meditation on Divine Light) the trembling or shaking of surat would automatically go away and it will become absolutely fixed or stilled. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj counsels, keep gazing at the Til Dwar (Tenth Door or The Third Eye) with great effort and it will break open under the influence or thrust of constant, fixed gazing. ||10||

Close the three (your eyes, ears and mouth) and while looking at the resplendent point, perceive the current of sound. Being drawn or attracted by this current, move on from one sound to another. Maharshi Mehi describes, there emanate a wide variety of sound currents such as chirping of cricket, humming of black beetle, ringing of bells, sounds of musical instruments like ‘shankh’ (conch), ‘shehnaai’ (great pipe) etc. ||11||

Current of sound is perceived along with sighting of star; flame of a lamp burns. Divine sky replete with supernatural moonlight is manifested. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj remarks, how it feels to perceive the various sounds there, how it feels to behold the astonishing full moon (full moon is seen in the region of sahastraara or thousand-etalled lotus) can be known to, or experienced by, that perseverant and brave (practitioner) alone who is immersed in inner meditation. ||12||

He who gets very profoundly engrossed in meditation loses awareness of his gross body. Such a practitioner must be very steadfast and resolute. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj says that such an inwardly-turned practitioner is not even aware of the time – whether it is evening or morning, day or night. Externally he is stationary, or motionless like an inert substance; however, he is highly alert internally. ||13||

Beyond the zone of moon, in the region of Trikutee (situated above the thousand-petalled lotus) is seen a grand inner sun in whose comparison this external sun (in the outer world) appears pales into insignificance, as if to be dark or without light! Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj expresses, who can describe those loud sounds that are heard there in the inner sky? Sounds like beating of ‘mahaa nagaadaa’ (large drums) and thundering of clouds keep reverberating there. ||14||

Only such a devotee of sant who has an ardent desire to go back to his primeval or original home, moves further ahead to attain the state of ‘shoonya samaadhi’ (reach into the region of Void) where there is sound and sound only. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj describes, in this sphere the practitioner gets to listen, through the ears of attention, to the melodious tunes of ‘muralee’/’murli’ (flute). Listening to such melodies gives rise to great curiosity; that is, there arises an eager desire to hear more and more of such enchanting tones. ||15||

When we find a true Guru who knows the right skills (to realise Him), he gives us the hint to “Naada Dhyaan or Shabda Yoga” (Meditation on the Divine Sound Current). That which can not be likened to anything else and never charges is called the ‘saar-shabd’ (Quintessential or Primeval Sound/Word). Even this Quintessential Sound gets dissolved or merged in ‘nihshabd’ (soundlessness). Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj explains that sants (in their verses) call this very soundless entity as ‘Ashabd’, ‘Anaam’ etc. ||16||

Accompanying the Quintessential Sound, the surat merges into the ‘akah’ (indescribable realm), the Highest State. This very Highest State is also termed as ‘Adhwani’, ‘Ashabd’, ‘Anaam’ etc. Its nature is entirely different. Maharshi Mehi Paramhansji Maharaj tells that having attained the Supreme Sovereign God who is devoid of all dichotomies & dualities, surat has never to come back into this world, that is, does not need to take birth in this world. ||17||